During the First Extraordinary Session of the 1956 Kentucky General Assembly, the Division of Personnel of the Department of Finance was abolished and the Department of Personnel was created. It was headed by a Commissioner appointed by the Governor. Chief among its responsibilities then, as now, was the certification of applicants for state jobs. Approximately four years later, a uniform Merit System for the Executive Department was created. On December 13, 1995, Executive Order 95-19 elevated the Department of Personnel to cabinet status and all powers and responsibilities of the Department of Personnel were transferred to the Personnel Cabinet. Upon expiration of the order, Executive Order 96-909 was issued on July 11, 1996, to create the Personnel Cabinet and this was confirmed by 1998 SB 139. Currently, the Personnel Cabinet is organized as follows: Office of the Secretary; Office of Administrative Services; Office of Legal Services; Office of Employee Relations; Office of Diversity and Equality; Office of Governmental Services; Center of Strategic Innovation; Ky Public Employees Deferred Compensation; Department of Human Resources Administration; and the Department of Employee Insurance.
